NAMPA, Idaho - The Northwest Nazarene men's soccer team opened the 2011 season with a 4-2 victory over Academy of Art University this afternoon at the NNU Soccer Field.

 

Alex Mangeac came off the bench to score twice, including the game-winner in the 76th-minute, as the Crusaders scored four times against the Urban Knights.

"We are very pleased with our performance today," commented NNU head coach Coe Michaelson.  "It wasn't perfect and we will only get better...but what pleased me the most was the response when they tied it up late.  We could have gotten frustrated but we showed some grit and character...pulling away for a deserved result against a good team."

 

NNU found the net early when Stephen Marshall converted a penalty kick in the 11th-minute and took a 2-0 lead on Mangeac's first tally, an unassisted shot from 20-yards out on a free kick that found the upper right corner.

 

AAU cut the deficit to one before the half when Frederick Nagel sent a Richard Luna cross into the right side of the goal at 27:32 and then pulled even in the 73rd-minute on a Leonardo Bartelle penalty kick conversion.

 

Benny Mangeac added some insurance in the 79th-minute, converting a deflection off the post from five-yards out.

 

AAU held an 11-10 shot advantage as NNU goalkeeper Zander Engeman mad three saves and AAU's Daniel Waller had one.

 

The Crusaders will be back in action on Monday afternoon, hosting Colorado Christian University at 3:00 p.m. in the second game of a men's soccer doubleheader.  The College of Idaho will face Academy of Art at Noon.